Today, you will look at a spreadsheet of census data from England and Wales
between 1801-1911. By the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

Identify when a spreadsheet is useful
in organizing data.

Use the Microsoft Excel program.

Manipulate a spreadsheet of census
returns.

Identify demographic changes in 19th
century England and Wales

Hypothesize about social and political
changes resulting from demographic changes.

Open the spreadsheet entitled
Population Census Data for England and Wales 1801-1911.
Take a couple of minutes to study how the data is broken down, e.g.
how frequently censuses were taken, how town sizes were categorized during
this period, etc. Population figures are recorded in the 1000’s. For
example, the total population in England and Wales in 1801 was 8,893,000. How
did the people compiling the census define urban?

Using spreadsheet functions,
calculate the percentage the population changed from one census to the
next in each category of town sizes and in the total population category.
If you need help with the mechanics of this, read the following. If not,
skip to step 3.

First, you will need to insert columns
in your spreadsheet. For example, click your mouse on cell C2 and then pull
down the INSERT menu and select COLUMN. An additional column will appear in C2.

Give this column a title, e.g. %
change.

Come up with a formula which will
calculate the percent change in total population from 1801 to 1811 to be
inserted in Cell C4. Type in your formula preceded by an = in Cell C4 and then
hit enter. Check to see if your formula is correct by calculating the
percentage by hand and comparing it with your formula’s answer. Modify if
needed.

Instead of calculating each percentage
individually, the spreadsheet has a FILL function which will perform the same
operation using the numbers relevant to the next row or column. For example,
you need to calculate the percent change for each year in the total population
column. After coming up with the formula in C4, highlight the C column from C4
to C14. Then, from the EDIT pull down menu, select FILL and COLUMN or DOWN.
Each percentage should be filled in from 1801-1911.

Repeat this formula fill procedure for
each town grouping.

Experiment with the CHART
function in Excel. This creates a graphical representation of the data
highlighted. Which is more useful to chart – raw data or pecentages?
Why?

When you decide, chart using the
preferable type of data.

How to make a simple Excel
chart (use the data on sheet 1):

Highlight the column with the data you
wish to chart. If you want to chart multiple columns, highlight one column and
then hit the control key and highlight any additional columns you wish to
chart.

Select the CHART option from the
insert menu.

Select the type of chart (LINE or
COLUMN is suggested) you want and then hit NEXT.

The next screen will say either SERIES
or DATA RANGE at the top. Click on the tab which says SERIES and then click
your cursor in the CATEGORY X AXIS LABELS box at the bottom. Go back to your
spreadsheet and highlight cells A3 to A14 (the years of the censuses).

In your previewed chart, check to see
if the various labels are accurate. For example, in the small box to the right,
the colors are coded according to what the graphed data is. If yours are not
labelled correctly, reNAME them under the SERIES tab.

When you’re happy with the way your
previewed chart looks, click on FINISH to see the chart. If you cannot see all
of the years displayed, stretch out the chart by grabbing the
"handles" of the chart and pulling them over. You may also need to
move the legend up.

Use your data and charts to
draw some conclusions about the population explosion in England and Wales.

Was the population growth constant
from 1801-1911?

According to the data, during what
years was the population growth most marked?

Which types of urban areas were most
affected by the population's growth?

Is is accurate to say a population
explosion occurred in England and Wales from 1801-1911?Why or why not?

Hypothesize about broader
conclusions from this data:

Why might a "population
explosion" have occurred during this era?

What changes could have happened
such that more babies survived and adults lived longer?

What are some consequences of
urbanization?

6.Can you think of some criticisms of this collection of census
data as a primary source?

What additional information would
you need to feel confident about your conclusions on the residential
demographics of 19th century Britain?

What information could be hidden in
this data?

What are some difficulties in using
data from this time period (hint: the first British census was taken in 1801)?